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Baby Amy
Nov 22, 2002
BABY AMY
I will never forget the first time I met Amanda French. I was a timind five year old little girl who had just moved to Sedona from California. I walked into my kindergarden classroom looking around reluctantly at all the children playing with their friends. The teacher asked for a volunteer to show the new girl around, to be "buddies" with for the week. This beautiful blond headed little girl with sparkling green eyed practically dove out of her chair, "Ohhh, please let me show her around...PLEEEAAASE!" And that is how it started, just two girls, assigned as "buddies" in kindergarden. We knew it was destiny when we even rode the same bus home that daqy, and then got off at the same bus stop...And parted at houses that were right next door to eachother. And that is how it went for the next nine years of our lives, she once told me, "Eileen, I knew that firsdt day of kindergarden that we ere going to be best friends," and we were.
Amanda died on December 11,, 2001 - she had been in a terrible roll over accident in October...She had fallen asleep at the wheel.She fought hard for eight weeks,having lost her spleen, one kidney, broken her back, several ribs, both of her legs, and suffered minor head injuries. The doctors offered hope, and promises of a successful recovery. The last time I visited Amanda she was being fitted for a back brace and had awoken from the medicated induiced coma they had had her in for the last seven weeks. She was still a little out of it but she knew who we were, and held my hand tightly as she mouthed "Eileen, I love you." I love you too Amy, I whispered back as tears streamed down my face. I will always be greatful for this day, this chance to tell my best friend that I loved her. In the early hours of December 11th, after coming out of her sixth surgury the doctors gave Amy a medicine, this mirrical drug that was going to help her fight off the pnemonia she had gotten. The drug they gave herwould have worked had they given her the right dosage, but they didn't. Instead she was given ten times (.10) what she should have gotten (.01) a mistake by the pharmasist. Amanda's brain began to bleed and she was pronounced brain dead at 9:00 that morning. Her parents made the painful decision to take her off life support, and let her go. Her heart beat strongly on its own for a few minutes after, as her mom held her sobbing, "I amso sorry Baby Amy, Go with God, I promise we'll be together again someday." As the one year aniversary apporoaches I can't help but reflect on all that I, and her family especially, have had to go through these last 12 months. And I am here to say that the first aniversies and birthdays are almost unbearable, but it will get better, it just takes time. Somehow you just have to believe that your loved one is safe, and no longer in pain, up there in heaven watching over you. And I know that just as in Kindergarden that when my time come Amanda will be the firsdt person to jump up, anxious to show me around. I LOVE YOU BABY AMY!
Eileen, AZ
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